Increasing power and improving fuel efficiency of internal combustion engines is particularly desirable across the population of automobile drivers. One method of increasing power and improving fuel efficiency is to increase the volume of dense air flowing into the combustion chamber of a vehicle's engine. Throttle body spacers, such as the Poweraid® TBS available from Airaid, are designed to create a vortex that spins air to be combusted while maintaining the same pressure differential, which ultimately improves engine efficiency. The greater the efficiency level of the intake system, the greater horsepower output there will be.
Generally, air enters a vehicle's fuel system at the airbox or air intake chamber. In the airbox, there is typically one air filter that is then connected with intake hoses to each carburetor or directly to the throttle body in fuel-injected engines. The throttle body regulates the airflow through the attached intake manifold. The intake manifold directs air or air-fuel mixtures from the throttle body to the intake ports in the cylinder head. The flow typically proceeds from the throttle body into a chamber called the plenum, which in turn feeds individual tubes, called runners, leading to each intake port. Throttle body spacers are inserted between the throttle body or carburetor and the intake manifold and are designed to redirect low velocity laminar airflow into higher velocity turbulent airflow. This spins air to be combusted while maintaining the same pressure differential.
In addition to throttle body spacers, other products marketed as vortex generators include the Turbonator™ available from Turbonator.com Inc. and the Tornado available from Tornado Air Management Systems. Unlike throttle body spacers, these products are inserted into the intake hoses adjacent to the air filter. Because the intake hoses are distant from the intake ports of the engine and do not work in relation to the throttle valve, these vortex generators have little or no effect. Rather, these vortex generators actually obstruct airflow, leading to increased drag and reduced efficiency.
Because throttle body spacers are located between the throttle body and the intake manifold and work in relation to the close proximity of the throttle valve, they are more effective at delivering higher velocity airflow at “part throttle” or partially opened throttle valves. This “part throttle” situation is where most vehicle operation occurs to maintain constant velocity and thus provides functionality during this situation. Unfortunately, while effective, current throttle body spacer designs are cumbersome to install or not optimized for maximum benefit at part throttle. Throttle body spacers for automobiles are generally one to two inches thick in order to either provide adequate surface area along the spacer (e.g. when a helix or similar bore is used) or to avoid interfering with the throttle valve (e.g. when the spacer incorporates protruding components). The additional thickness requires additional brackets, spacers, and other components to correct throttle cable linkage length or geometry. Thinner spacers are available for motorcycles; but those designs do not account for the protruding throttle valve and are not optimized for maximum effectiveness at part throttle positions. It therefore would be desirable to design a throttle body plate with an insubstantial thickness that can be used in the same location as a throttle body spacer. It would also be desirable to design a throttle body plate that does not interfere but rather works in conjunction with the throttle valve and that can be manufactured from a single sheet of material. Finally, it would be desirably to design a throttle plate that works in even closer proximity to the throttle valve when it is at part throttle.
Accordingly, one object of this invention is to provide a throttle plate that does not require extra components to accommodate its thickness. Another object of this invention is to provide a throttle plate that minimizes the distance between its features and a partly open throttle valve to maximize its effectiveness. Another object of this invention is to provide a throttle plate that increases high velocity airflow without obstructing the throttle valve but rather works in conjunction with the position of the throttle valve(s). Another object of this invention is to provide a throttle plate that can be easily manufactured from a single sheet of metal or similar material.